If the thief repents, is he required to return the rights to their owners?

Question:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. He says: In last week’s lesson on hudud (the fixed Qur'anic punishments), it was mentioned that the one who repents from a hadd (fixed punishment) before it is carried out against him is not subjected to the hadd. The question, may Allah preserve you, is: If a person steals money and then repents before the hadd is carried out against him, is he required to return the money?

Answer:
The money must be returned. The money is obligatory; the money of the created being must be returned to him or his permission must be sought for it, even if the hadd is carried out against him. This is because the right of the created being is not waived. Therefore, the money must be returned to its owner unless he forgives it. Yes.